Extension-table



, 21Sheets-Sheet 1. C. L. BRADFORD. EXTENSION TABLE.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. L. BRADFORD.

EXTENSION-TABLE. No. 580,543. Patented Apr. 13, 1897.

C Zi, 44: -f ff gd d Witnesses' i By l .9 Btonrgmjs.

QW N

ivrriz' 'raras CHARLES L. BRADFORD, OF SOANDIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,543, dated April13, 1897. Application filed October 8,1896. Serial No. 608,299. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES L. BRADFORD, a citizen .of the UnitedStates, residing at Scandia, in the county of lVarren and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Extension-'lable, of whichthe follow ing is a specication.

This invention relates to extension-tables; and the object in view is toprovide a simple, convenient, and practical extension-table in which theextension leaf or leaves are connected to the frame of the table in suchmanner that with the aid of suitable mechanism, when the table is drawnout or extended, said leaf or leaves will be automatically moved intothe plane of the top of the table and locked in position for use. Themechanism for moving the leaf or leaves is of such character that italso operates upon the extension leaf or leaves so as to drop the samebelow the plane of the top of the table when the ta ble is againextended slightly, the end portions of thel top being thereafter adaptedto move together and inward over the extension leaf or leaves until theymeet at a central point. By the improved arrangement the necessity ofcarrying extra leaves to and from the table is obviated and theoperation of extending the table greatly facilitated.

The invention consists in an improved extension-table embodying certainnovel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and finallyembodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a longitudinal section throughthe improved table, showing the same extended, with the end hingedleaves folded down. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism fordropping the extension-leaf, said leaf being lowered in readiness tohave the end portions of the table-top closed overit. Fig. is a similarsection showing the position of such mechanisin when the table isextended. Fig. 4. is a similar section showing the mechanism forelevating the extensiondeaf. Fig. 5 is also a longitudinal sectionshowing the table folded. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the upperportion of the table. Fig. 7 is an enlarged `detail elevation of one ofthe grooved bars which acts as a guide for the lowering mechanism of theextension-leaf. Fig. Sis a similar view of one of the grooved barscontrolling the lifting mechanism for the extension-leaf. Fig. 9 is anenlarged detail section through one end of Similar numerals of referencedesignate corresponding parts in the several ligures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 designates the side rails of the table-frame, and 2the end rails, rigidly connecting the side rails. Suitablesupporting-legs 3 are arranged at the corners of the table, beinglocated at the junction of the side and end rails, and the side railsare divided centrally to provide for moving the end portions of thetable apart, the inner ends of the side-rail sections being connected inpairs by cross-pieces 4.

5 designates the end portions of the tabletop or the stationary leaves,which are rigidly secured upon the end frames just described and whichare located a sufficient distance above the top edges of the side railsl to admit of the extension leaf or leaves G sliding thereunder. Securedto the end rails 2 and extendingover and secured to the cross-pieces 4Lare slides 7, which extend longitudinally of the table and are providedon opposite sides with longitudinal beads 8. The slides 7 move betweenspaced guides 9, and these guides are provided in their inner adjacentfaces with longitudinal grooves for the reception and guidance of thebeads 8, thus imparting vertical stidness to the table. The guides 9 aresecured rigidly to the upper side of a central transverse rail l0, (seeFig. 1,) supported at its ends upon legs 11.

To the outer surfaces of the outside guides 9 are rigidly attached metalears l2, and pivotally connected to said ears are links 13, the upperends of which connect pivotally at spaced points with cleats 14E,secured to the under side ofthe extension-leaf 6, which is arranged overand above the plane of the several slides and guides and adapted to moveup and down, being guided in its movements by the links 13, which areall correspondingly inclined.

Fig. 1l is a sectional detail on the line 0c of Fig. 2.

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Connected to the under side of the eXtension-leaf 6 by means of clips oreyes 15 are draft-rods 16, provided at their free or outer ends withcross-heads 17, (see Fig. 6,) forming oppositely-projecting trunnions,which work in grooves in the inner adjacent faces of spaced bars 18.There are two pairs of these spaced bars 18, and they are secured to therail 2 and cross-bar 4 of one of the movable end portions of the tablebetween the nner guides 9, with a space between them, as shown in Figs.4 and 6. Each of said bars is provided with a longitudinal groove 19,extending from its outer end inward, said groove being expanded at thepoint- 20 and extended to form an upper branch or portion 2l and a lowerbranch or portion 22, the upper and lower portions being separated by aninterposed web 23 and again merging into each other through the passage24. The upper portion 21 of the groove terminates at its inner end in arecessed shoulder 25, with which the cross-head or one of the trunnionsengages. `In the expanded portion 2O of the groove is pivotally mounteda switch 26, fulcrumed at the outer end of the web 28 and resting at itsfree end in the base of the groove at the point where the same begins towiden. Vhen the table is folded or closed, the cross-heads or trunnions17 rest in the outer ends 19 of the grooves. Vhen the end portions ofthe table are drawn apart, the bars 18 move with the end portion towhich they are attached and slide on the cross-heads or trunnions 17until the latter are engaged by the shoulders 25 on the bars 18, whenthe rods 16 will also move with the end portion and thereby draw uponthe extension-leaf 6, and the latter,owin g to its pivotal connection tothe guides 0 by the links l3,will thereupon swing upward into the planeof the table-top, as shown in Fig. 4. The extension-leaf is maintainedin this position by means of a latch 27 ,which is pivoted to the underside of the extension-leaf. This latch is bail-shaped and has atransversely extended or widened freeend, which enters a notch 28 in alatch-bar 29, secured rigidly to the upper side of the transverse rail10. The bar 29 is provided with a central longitudinal recess, in whichis mounted to slide a wedge 80, which operates to lift the free en d ofthe latch out of engagement with the notch 28, and said wedge has alongitudinal shank 3l, to the outer end of which is pivotally connecteda rod 82, having at its outer ends cross-heads or oppositely-projectingtrunnions 38, which work in grooves in the inner adjacent surfaces ofspaced bars 84, secured to the opposite end of the table from thesimilar bars 18, above described. The bars 34 are provided at theirouter ends with the groove 85, which at a suitable point is expanded toform the widened portion 36, in which is arranged a pivoted switch 37,similar to that 26, above described, and fulcrumed at the outer end of adividing-web 38, which separates the groove into an upper portion 39 anda lower portion 40, the latter portion terminating in a recessedshoulder 41 and merging into the upper portion of the groove near saidshoulder by means of the oblique passage 42, the groove being thenextended longitudinally, as indicated at 43.

When it is desired to fold or close the table, the end portions thereofare drawn apart slightly, whereupon the cross-heads or trunnions willcome in contact with the shoulders 41, and this will move the wedges 30,so as to disengage the latch 27. By now pushing the ends of the tabletoward each other the cross-head 33 will travel through the portions 40of the grooves and will lift and pass.

beyond the switches 37. At the beginning of this movement the free endof the latch 27 will ride upon the upper surface of the latchbar 29 andallow the extension-leaf to drop, thus enabling the station ary leaves 5to slide .over the extension-leaf 6.

44 is a spiral spring which is mounted in a recess in the latch-bar' 29and connected to the wedge 30, so as to draw the same back and leave thenotch 28 open to receive the latch 27. When the table is drawn out, thecross-head 38 rides over the switches 87 and the web 38, and after theend portions of the table are pushed toward each other and against theedges of the extension-leaf said cross-head drops through the obliquepassage 42 into the lower portion 40 of the grooves, where it is inreadiness to again be moved into engagement with the shoulder 41 fordropping the extension-leaf. After the extension-leaf has been raisedbythe cross-head 17 coming in contact with the shoulder 25, just as theend portions of the table are moved inward against the edges of theextensionleaf, said cross-head drops through the passage 24 into thelower portion 22 of the groove, and when the table is folded or closedsubsequently said cross-head passes along the lower portion of thegroove and lifts and passes the switch 26, which drops by gravity intoits normal position (shown in Fig. 8) after the crosshead has passed it.

The table is provided at each end with a hinged leaf 45, and this leafis supported horizontally by a jointed brace consisting of two sections46 and 47. Each of these sections is pivotally connected at its oppositeends to suitable eyes 48 on the hinged leaf and end rail 2 of the table,respectively, and they are connected at their adjacent ends by aknucklejoint 49, comprising shoulders 50, which will limit the vibrationof the sections in one direction, but which will enable theconnectingpivot 51 to pass above a line drawn through the pivotalconnections of the outer ends of said sections with the hinged leaf andtable in order that said sections may form a lock for rendering thebrace rigid and firmly upholding the hinged leaf 45. One of the sections46 is provided with a longitudinal recess 52, in which is arranged aspiral spring This spring actuates a catch 54 and IOO IIO

forces the same into engagement with the notch 54a in the section 47 ofthe brace for maintaining the brace-sections in locked relation. Thecatch 54 is provided with a fingerpiece 55, by means of which it may bedisengaged from the notch 54a when it is desired to break the joint inthe brace and fold the hinged leaf downward.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the extension-tablemay be readily extended and folded and that the extensionleaf will beautomatically raised and lowered into and out of position simply bymoving the end portions of the table apart or together; also thatprovision is made for firmly supporting the hinged end leaves in theirhorizontal position.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new isl. In anextensiontable,the relatively-mov able end leaves rigidly attached tothe end portions of the table, in combination with an extension-leafpivotally connected to the table-frame by links and adapted to move upand down between the end leaves and to slide under the saine, adraft-rod connected at one end to the extension-leaf and having itsopposite end slidingly engaged with a grooved bar mounted on one of themovable ends of the table, said end cooperating with a stop on said barfor swinging the extension-leaf upward, and a latch for maintaining saidextension-leaf in its raised position, substantially as described.

2. In an extension-table, the combination with the movable end portionsthereof carrying the stationary leaves, of an extension-leaf pivotallymounted on swinging links and adapted to move up and down into and belowthe plane of the table-top, a draft-bar having one end connected to saideXtension-leaf'and provided at its other end with a cross-head, andspaced bars provided in their adjacent surfaces with grooves for guidingsaid crosshead and terminating in shoulders for engaging said cross-headand with switches which cooperate with said cross-head, substantiall yas and for the purpose described.

3. In an extension-table, the combination with the movable end portionsthereof carrying the stationary leaves, of an extension-leaf mounted onpivotal links and adapted to move up and down into or below the plane ofthe tabletop, mechanism for elevating said leaf as the table is drawnont, a latch for upholding said leaf, and lowering mechanism consistingof a reciprocating wed ge for disengagof the table-top, saidextension-leaf and one end of the table ing said latch, a rod connectedto said wedge grooved bar for. guiding said cross-head, said bar beingprovided with a shoulder for enf gaging said cross-head, whereby thewedge is operated for disengaging the latch, substantially as described.

4. In an extension-table, the combination with the movable end portionsthereof and the stationary leaves thereon, of an extensionleaf mountedon pivotal links and adapted to move up and down into and below theplane means interposed between for raising said extension-leaf, a latchfor upholding said leaf when raised, and means connected with the otherend of the table for disengaging said latch when the end portions of thetable are moved apart, substantially as described.

5. In an extension-table, the combination with the movable end portionsthereof and the stationary leaves thereon, of the extensionleafpivotally supported on the table-frame,- connections between theextension-leaf and one of the end portions of the table to automaticallyraise the former into the plane of the end portions when the latter aredrawn apart, a device connected to the extensionleaf and adapted toengage a 'fixed stop on the frame to hold the said leaf in its raisedposition, and means connected to the other end portion of the table tocause the disengagement of the supporting device with said stop when theend portions are drawn apart, substantially as described.

6. In an extension-table, the combination v with the movable endportionsthereof and the stationary leaves thereon, of the extensionleafmovably supported on the table-frame, connections between theextension-leaf and one of the end portions of the table to raise saidextension-leaf into the plane of the end portions, a latch pivoted tothe under side of the extension-leaf and its free end adapted to engagea Xed stop on the frame to hold the said leaf in its raised position, asliding wedge adapted to engage the free end of the latch and lift itout of engagement with the fixed stop, and suitablek connections betweenthe sliding wedge and the other end portion of the table, whereby thewedge is operated when the end portions of the table are drawn apart,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. BRADFORD.

Witnesses:

E. G. AKELEY, WM. MCORAY.

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